Looking around, Ling Feng focused his gaze on the summit. Only then did he notice that two groups were already there. They seemed to belong to different factions and stood facing off against each other.
At the edge of the mountain, a sheer rock wall rose toward the sky.
Beneath the rock wall lay a clear pool barely ten feet across, but its water was extraordinary. One half bubbled constantly as though boiling, while the other gave off bone-piercing cold. Two utterly different properties existed in that little pool, as sharply divided as two rivers flowing side by side.
That should be the so-called Pill Immortal Pool...
Hidden in the shadows, Ling Feng murmured inwardly as his gaze swept over the little pool.
"Manager Su, what took you so long? I was starting to lose patience."
While the Pill Immortal Pool held Ling Feng's attention, a rough voice drew his gaze away.
At the head of a large group radiating murderous menace stood a burly middle-aged man, a blood wolf tattoo exposed on his bare upper body. He was looking toward Xuan Su and the others, who had arrived late.
No particularly powerful Yuan Power surged around the man, but he stood there like a mountain, commanding respect.
Peak Da Dou Shi? No, on the Tianxuan Continent, it should be great perfection of the Dan Realm...
Ling Feng examined the burly man for a moment and soon sensed his strength.
"Something held us up. Please forgive us, Gang Leader Yue."
Xuan Su had also stepped down from the carriage and greeted Yue Shan.
Meanwhile, a man in a brocade robe who looked like a merchant walked over from the Myriad Gold Merchant Association's side. After Xuan Su spoke, he laughed heartily and picked up the conversation.
"Hahaha... Why be so impatient, Gang Leader Yue? Everyone's here now, aren't they?"
"President."
At the sight of the brocade-robed man, Xuan Su bowed slightly and smiled. He nodded to her in return.
So this is Xia Wanjin, president of the Myriad Gold Merchant Association?
And that big fellow beside him should be Yue Shan, leader of the Blood Wolf Gang...
Watching the middle-aged brute and the brocade-robed man appear one after the other, Ling Feng seemed to have some recollection of them.
Both these guys are at the great perfection of Yuan Dan Realm, just one step away from the Three Realms of Creation. But that's fine. I can keep running wild. Even if they both enter the Form Creation Realm, they'll only be as strong as Dou Ling. What the hell do I have to fear? I nearly killed a Dou Emperor. Why would I be scared of two Dou Ling?
Having sensed their strength, Ling Feng felt no pressure whatsoever. There was even a hint of disdain in his attitude.
One Creation pen, and a million Dou Ling would answer its call!
With the Creation God Pen in his possession, summoning a million Dou Ling was only a matter of time for Ling Feng.
Dealing with two Dou Ling could hardly have been easier.
"Enough nonsense. Since everyone's here, let's begin. If we delay any longer, the Pill Immortal Pool's energy will disperse."
Yue Shan glanced at Xia Wanjin and wasted no more words, directly announcing the start of the competition.
Lin Dong's arrival, however, raised Xia Wanjin's doubts. But with Xuan Su and Xia Zhilan persuading him from the sidelines, Xia Wanjin said little more. He gave Lin Dong a friendly smile and began introducing their opponents.
Soon, the first fight began.
The first bout was between two women: Yue Shan's daughter, Yue Ling, against Xia Wanjin's daughter, Xia Zhilan.
After watching the fierce fight for a moment, Ling Feng lost interest and withdrew his gaze. Both women were beautiful, but watching women fight really wasn't much fun. There was nothing worth seeing.
After all, Ling Feng dared to clash head-on with a Dou Emperor. A little skirmish like this hardly caught his eye. Compared to this sort of fight, he would much rather battle them in bed, dragons and tigers locked in combat. Now that would be exciting.
His gaze wandered until it suddenly drifted toward the Pill Immortal Pool beneath the mountain's edge. His eyes lit up.
The Pill Immortal Pool is right in front of me. What the hell am I watching this for?
Slapping his thigh, Ling Feng immediately had an idea. He looked at the two groups engrossed in the match and smiled wickedly. You keep competing. I'll go take a bath and enjoy myself first.
The next moment, intent on beating everyone to the prize, Ling Feng sneaked over to the mountain's edge. Two guards stood there, one from the Myriad Gold Merchant Association and the other from the Blood Wolf Gang.
Because of the competition, however, neither guard was paying attention to the Pill Immortal Pool. Both were watching the match instead.
Seeing this, Ling Feng hatched a plan and called inwardly, Spirit Imbuement, Itachi Uchiha!
In an instant, Ling Feng's silvery-white hair turned black. His face remained mature, but his eyes looked colder and more unfathomable.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind and grit suddenly rose beneath Ling Feng's feet. In the next instant, he darted in front of the two guards.
The two guards, who had been engrossed in the match, startled at Ling Feng's sudden appearance.
"Sharingan!"
Just as the guards were about to attack and call for their companions, Ling Feng activated his Sharingan and hypnotized them.
Both guards immediately succumbed to Ling Feng's hypnosis and returned to their original positions. As though nothing had happened, they continued dutifully standing guard.
Ling Feng smiled in satisfaction. He was about to descend into the Pill Immortal Pool, absorb its energy, and improve his cultivation when a burst of cheers from the two groups still competing behind him made him hesitate.
No, the competition will end sooner or later. When it does, there's no way I can hide the fact that I sneaked into the Pill Immortal Pool. They'll definitely interrupt my cultivation then...
With that thought, Ling Feng began considering a solution.
Ah, I've got it.
After thinking for quite a while, Ling Feng finally came up with an idea. The next second, he took out the Creation God Pen and swept it through the air, drawing his creations.
Four inky silhouettes immediately gathered in four directions. Within moments, they transformed into four people.
"Check their attributes."
As soon as Ling Feng gave the command, the system's voice sounded.
[Ding!] [Scanning...] Creation Characters: Sound Four (Sakon and Ukon, Kidomaru, Jirobo, Tayuya) Normal state: Chunin (peak late Heavenly Yuan Realm) Curse Mark One: Elite Chunin (Lesser Yuan Dan Realm) Curse Mark Two: Special Jonin (great perfection of Yuan Dan Realm)
Looking at the attributes of the Sound Four he had created, Ling Feng thought that although they weren't particularly strong, they were enough to deal with the Blood Wolf Gang and the Myriad Gold Merchant Association.
"Sakon and Ukon, Kidomaru, Jirobo, Tayuya, don't let anyone interrupt my cultivation."
Looking at the Sound Four, Ling Feng wasted no words and gave them a direct order.
The Sound Four were absolutely loyal to Ling Feng and answered without hesitation, "Yes."
"Good. Hold the line while I steal the tower!"
Ling Feng gave a wicked smile and leaped down. As the Pill Immortal Pool drew ever closer, he cried excitedly in his heart, Pill Immortal Pool, here I come!
At the same time, Dou Qi circulated throughout Ling Feng's body, forming a gauze-thin layer around him. With that, he plunged straight into the Pill Immortal Pool.
Seeing Ling Feng enter the Pill Immortal Pool, the Sound Four wasted no time. They darted into position to the east, west, north, and south, formed hand seals, and shouted in low voices,
"Ninja Art: Four Violet Flames Formation!"
Several violet lines shot skyward. In the next instant, walls of dark violet light spread out, forming a square enclosure that completely enveloped the Pill Immortal Pool below.
Such a commotion was naturally impossible to conceal. The first to notice were Yue Shan and Xia Wanjin, both at the great perfection of Yuan Dan Realm.
"What's going on?!"
Yue Shan and Xia Wanjin immediately rose from their seats and looked toward the noise. Noticing the disturbance at the Pill Immortal Pool, they seemed to realize something. Their expressions changed, and both shot toward the pool at once.